Handling device



J. SMITH HANDLING DEVICE May 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 2', 1953 ATTORNEYS v J. SMITH HANDLING DEVICE May 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1955 INVENTOR #Mes S/wrh BY MW AT TO R NEYS Unid States Pat-euro f HANDLING DEVICE James Smith, San Leandro, Calif. Application February 2, 1953, Serial No. 334,600

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-300) The present invention relates to a handling device particularly adapted for use in removing layers of elements from a container.

. While the present invention may be advantageously employed in a variety of ways and under various conditions it is particularly useful in the cannery industry and will therefore be described in connection with such use. It is common practice in the canning industry and particularly where perishable foods or the like are being canned to box the filled cans prior to labeling same for convenience in handling. While itV is advantageous for many reasons to box the unlabeled cans the subsequent labeling process is complicated by the necessity of removing the cans from the boxes, particularly when the boxes contain two or more layers of cans. It has been the practice in the past to manually remove the cans from the boxes by lifting the individual cans therefrom inasmuch as the operation has proven to be poorly adapted for accomplishment with practical machinery.

The present invention is adapted to facilitate the removal ofcans or the like stored in layers in large containers and operates to rapidly remove entire layers of cans with a minimum of manual operations and with simple, rugged and ei`n`cient machinery.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved handling device for removing layers of elements from a container.

It is another object of the present invention tor provide a handling device having a movable and stationary surfaceand adapted to lower individual layers of cans or the like from a container for rapid handling thereof.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide improved means including a table having a spring actuated top portion for supporting a box and removing layers of cans or the like therefrom,

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved handling device having a table top with a portion thereof rapidly movable a predetermined adjustable amount for removing layers of elements from a container.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description Amay be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

The invention may be best understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken together with the attached drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the invention shown in co3 operation with certain conventional.' food machinery.

vFigure 2 is an elevational Viewv of the invention as showninFigure 1. Y f

fice

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken at 3 3 of Figure 2.

Considering rst certain equipment with whichv the illustrated embodiment of the invention is particularly adapted to cooperate, there is shown in Figure 1 conventional cannery machinery including a circular horizontal table 11 having a semicircular stationary deck 12 extending about one-half the perimeter thereof and coplanar therewith. Table 11-is suitably mounted and driven by equipment, not shown, to rotate at a' constant speed in a counterclockwise direction. A conveyor -belt 13 is disposed adjacent table 11 in alignment with the top thereof and diametrically oppositethe center of deck 12. Conveyor belt 13 is adapted tol conveycans from table 11 to a labeling machine (not shown) and in order to prevent cans from falling from` table 11 there is provided a guard rail 14 extending 'aboutv the periphery of table 11 from conveyor belt 13 to deck, 12 and across the end of deck 12, as shown. There. is mounted at the center of table 11 a xed arm 16 which does not rotate with table 11 and which extends radially toward guard rail V14 with a bend toward conveyorvbelt 13 near the end thereof. Arm 16 terminates a distance from guard rail 14 at least equal to the diameter of the cans to be handled` by the equipment and a guide rail 17 lextends from the free end of arm 16 to.Y conveyor belt 13 parallel to guard rail 14. In operation of this conventional equipment cans are placed upon deck'12 and then pushed onto rotating table 11. As the table rotates counterclockwise the cans come into contact with fixed arm 16 and are pushed radially outward therealong by the table rotation until they reach the guardrail. The cans then remain` stationary with respect to table 11 and are moved between guard rail 14 and guide rail 17 until they reach conveyor belt where a radially extending portion of guide rail 17 contacts the cans and they fall from table 11 onto conveyor belt 13 whence they are transported to a labeling machine.

While the above described equipment and operation thereof has proven quite satisfactory, the operation necessarily preceding the placement of cans on the table, i. e., removal of the unlabeled cans from boxes, has been found to entail a large amount of manual labor which tends to slow `down the process and further to increasev the expense thereof. The present invention generally designated 10 in Figure l, operates to speed up the handling of the cans by providing means for rapidly and easily removing layers of cans from boxes. As seen in Figure l the invention includes a pair of like tables 21 and 22 which have the tops thereof inl planar alignment with the top of the stationary deck 12 of the above described cannery equipment and tables 21 and 22 are disposed adjacent each other and adiaf cent stationary deck 12 with the edges thereof contoured to t against the outer edge of stationary deck 12 so that c ans may be readily slid across the tops thereof. Tables 21 and 22 each have an outer edge including an inside right angle, or in other words there is remove are disposed in close proximity with tablesV 21 and y22 respectively and in normal position are injcoplanar gre lation with tables 21 aud 22, provision being made as noted below for moving platforms a predetermined dis-` j tance below tables 21 and 22. l n

Considering now the structural features of the illustrated embodiment and referring only to table 21 and l platform 23, inasmuch astable 22 and platform 24 are similarly constructed, it "willbe seen'that yplatformv 23"' is'suppo'rted by avertically disposed shaft 26 'attached lPatented May 8, 1956'- tothe'undersurface ofplatforrn 23 and extending downward. therefrom.v The. lower portion of shaft- 26 isslidably disposed within a vertical stationary cylinder 27 which has a laterally extending base 28 attached thereto that is adapted for disposition upon afloor or the like in stationary relationship thereto as by bolting. Rigidly secured to base 28- withinstationarycylinder- 27 is a short pin 29 extendingy axially of stationary cylinder 27 and a coil spring 31 is disposed within stationary cylinder 27 about pin 29 and-extending upwardtherefrom into an axial aperture in the lower end of shaft 26.

Spring 31 will thus be seen to support shaft 26 which rests thereon within stationary cylinder 27 so that platform 23 is thus spring mounted and the dimensions of the above elements andthe strength of spring 31 are adjusted' so that platform 23 is normally' supported in coplanar relationship with table 21. It may be noted at this point that tables 21 and 22 may be disposed at the proper height in any desired manner, as for example, by bolts 32 through downwardly extending anges on adjacent edges of tables 21 and 22 and the stationary deck 12 of the cannery equipment.

In addition to the above noted support for platform 23 there is also provided means for moving same vertically and for adjusting the amount of this movement. To this end there is provided a second or movable cylinder 33 which slidably engagesstationary cylinder 27 about the exterior thereof and which also engages shaft 26. A horizontal plate or pedal 34 is rigidly attached to movable cylinder 3.3 adjacent the bottom thereof for use as a foot pedal whereby an operator stepping upon pedal 34 lowers movable cylinder 33 and attached shaft 26 by further compressing spring 31 to lower platform 23. Provision is made for adjusting the degree of motion of platform 23 by forming threads 36 about the upper portion of shaft 26 extending downward at least to the top of stationary cylinder 27v when platform 23` is in normal position and by closing the upper end of movable cylinder 33 by a cap 37 having a threaded aperture therethrough engaging the threads upon shaft 26. Cylinder cap 37 is rigidly attached across the upper end of movable cylinder 33 and may be made integral therewith. A transverse opening is provided through shaft 26 adjacent the top thereof and a bar 3S fitted therein so that shaft 26 may be readily rotated to change the point of connection of movable cylinder 33 thereto as shaft 26 is threaded into or out of cylinder cap 37. Inasmuch as movable cylinder 33 can only move downward until it contacts base 28, changing of the point of attachment of movable cylinder 33 to shaft 26 effectively varies the amount that shaft 26 and platform 23 may be vertically displaced by depressing pedal 34;

It will be appreciated that inasmuch as platform 23 has a square corner mating with table 21 no rotation of platform 23 is possible, nor is such desired, and thus there need be provided a rotary connection of shaft 26 to platform 23 so that shaft 26 may be rotated to provide the above-noted adjustment. This may be accomplished by attaching a circular flange or plate 39 upon the upper end of shaft 26 in contact with the under surface of platform 23 and rigidly securing to this same surface a split ring 41 about plate 39 and having a circular indentation in the upper surface accommodating plate 39.

By this means shaft 26 is free to rotate while being held in contact with platform 23. In order to preserve the adjusted disposition of shaft 26 and movable cylinder 33 there is provided a lock nut 42 threaded upon shaft 26 above movable cylinder 33 and a washer 43 disposed about shaft 26 directly below lock nut 42. With shaft 26 rotated so that movable cylinder 33 is attached thereto at the desired height, lock nut 42 is threaded downward to crush washer againstcylinder cap 37 and to thereby lock shaft 26 and cylinder cap 37 in position. Rotation of movable cylinder 33 is undesirable in that adjustment` of same and shaft 26 wouldfthereby` be more diicult and further because pedal 34 would then rotate, possibly into someinaccessible position.v Rotation -of movable cylinder 33 is prevented by providing a narrow vertical slot 44 therein and providing a radially extending lug 46 upon stationary cylinder 27 fitting into the slot and adapted to slide up and down in same as movable cylinder 33 is slid vertically upon stationary cylinder 27.

Cooperation between table 21 and platform 23 is provided by a downwardly extending portion or flange 47 about the edge of table 21adjacent platform 23 and a like flange 43 upon platform 23. Flanges 47 and 48 are adapted to slide vertically against each other as platform 23 is raised=and lowered andto insure against binding of platform 23 as it is moved there are also provided a plurality of guide bars 49 which are vertically disposed adjacent table flange 47 on the opposite side thereof from platform 23 and which are attached to spaced points along the bottom of platform flange 48 by bracket portions extending horizontally beneath table ange 47. There may be advantageously provided three or more guide bars with one disposed on each side of platform 23 adjacent table`21 and one right angle bar disposed at the platform corner innermost of table 21. The guide bars' and flanges 47'and 48 are formed of sufficient length that they remainin engagement through the entire downward motion of platform 23` no matter what the adjustment thereof may be and further guide bars 49 are made substantially the same length as the vertical dimension of table flange 47 so that guide bars contact the under surface of the table top and the lower edge of table flange 47 when platform 23 is in the normal raised position thereby preventing: overtravel of platform 23.

Operation of the above described handling device is quite simple and'is in fact quite apparent from the` description of the device. With regard to the use of the device in cooperation with the Cannery equipment shown, there is placed upon platform 23 a box 51 of cans 52 which are disposed therein in more than one layer, as shown. The box 51v is first opened and then inverted upon platform 23 sothat the top layer of cans in the box is resting directly upon platform 23. The box is disposed in alignment with'the inner edges of platform 23 so that the vertical box sides are in line with platform tiange 48.` Prior to operating the handling deviceit should be adjusted in the above described manner by loosening lock nut 42 and turning shaft 26 by bar 38and thereby raising movable cylinder 33 until the bottom thereof is displaced froinbase 28 a distance equal to the height of the cans to be handled. Locknut 42 is then tightened down topress washer 43 against cylinder cap 37 and preserve this adjustmenti With platform 23 adjusted and the box of cans disposedas statedy atop platform 23 the operator merely steps upon' pedal 34 which lowers platform 23 and box 51 down the length of one can 52. As above stated, the downward pressure upon pedal 34 forces movable cylinder 33 to slide downward on stationary cylinder 27; andl shaft'2'6 atached to movable cylinder 33` by threaded engagement with cylinder cap 37 is like wise lowered. With platform 23 lowered, the box 51 is slid onto table 21", however, table flange 47 prevents movement of the layer ofcans-in contact with platform 23 so' that one layer of cans is thus left upon platform 23 while the' inverted box with the remaining cans rests upon table 21'. The pressure on pedal 34 is then released and spring 31 which was additionally compressed by the lowering of platform 23 elongates to move platform 23 upward to normal position. A single layer of cans are now disposed upon platform 23 aligned with table 21 and these may be readily pushed onto the rotating table 11 of the cannery machinery where they are moved to the conveyor belt and off to the labeling machine. With a two layer box the box need only be lifted from the remaining layer of cans after the above operation and this single layer` too is then ready to be slid. on to rotating table 11. Where a three or more layer box is employed` the process need only be repeated once for each layer except the last and inasmuch as many three layer boxes are used it is desirable to provide two adjacent tables and platforms as illustrated so that the box is slid directly from the first platform 23 to the second platform Z4 and one layer of cans is removed by each.

The invention will be seen to operate to dispose a single layer of cans upon a surface whereby they may be readily slid onto the revolving table 11, where otherwise cans would have to be individually removed from multilayer boxes as dumping of more than one layer of cans inevitably causes some to fall over and at any rate if other than a sliding operation is required individual handling is necessary.

What is claimed is:

l. In a handling device comprising a table having a movable and a stationary top normally disposed in coplanar relationship; the combination therewith of a stationary cylinder having a base member, a shaft secured to said movable table top and slidably engaging said stationary cylinder, spring means mounted Within said stationary cylinder in engagement with said shaft for supporting said movable table top in normal position, a movable cylinder about said stationary cylinder in slidable engagement with same and secured to said shaft, and an outward projection upon said movable cylinder for sliding same and attached shaft longitudinally of said stationary cylinder to vary the relative disposition of said table tops from normal.

2. In a handling device comprising a stationary table and a movable platform disposed adjacent said stationary table normally in coplanar relation therewith; the combination therewith of a threaded shaft secured to the under side of said platform and extending downward therefrom, a stationary cylinder having a base member adapted for disposition upon a floor to support same and a central aperture accommodating said shaft in slidable engagement, spring means interior to said stationary cylinder and compressed between said cylinder base and the end of said shaft for holding said platform in normal position, a movable cylinder slidably engaging said stationary cylinder about the exterior thereof and having a cap upon the upper end in threaded engagement with said shaft whereby the relative disposition of said shaft and movable cylinder is adjustable, and a pedal upon said movable cylinder for forcing same downward to lower said shaft and platform below said table a predetermined position determined by the adjustment of said threaded engagement of the shaft and movable cylinder.

3. In a handling device for removing layers of cans from a box comprising a stationary table having a planar top and a flange extending downward from the edges thereof and a movable platform having a planar top disposedadjacent said table with the platform top normally aligned with said table top; the combination therewith of a hollow vertical stationary cylinder having a supporting base and disposed beneath said platform, a shaft extending downward from said platform into slidable engagement with said stationary cylinder, a spring mounted in compression within said stationary cylinder between Cil the base thereof and the lower shaft end and urging said shaft upward, projections upon said platform engaging the lower edge of said table flange with said platform top aligned with said table top, a movable cylinder slidably engaging said stationary cylinder about the exterior thereof for vertical displacement and having a pedal extending therefrom for actuating same, and a cap rigidly secured upon the top of said movable cylinder above said stationary cylinder and threadably engaging said shaft for adjusting the relative disposition of said shaft and movable cylinder whereby said platform is movable downward by said pedal an amount determined by the adjusted position of said shaft and movable cylinder and returnable by said spring upon release of said pedal.

4. A handling device as claimed in claim 3 further defined by said table and platform having straight adjacent edges, said shaft being rotatably secured to the under surface of said platform for adjustment rotation without rotating said platform, a longitudinal slot in said movable cylinder, and a lug projecting from said stationary cylinder in sliding engagement with said slot whereby said movable shaft is locked against rotation for facilitating adjustment of the shaft position with respect thereto by rotating said shaft.

5. A handling device as claimed in claim 3 further characterized by the projections upon said platform comprising guide bars extending vertically adjacent said table flange on the opposite side thereof from said platform in slidable relation therewith and extending beneath said table flange for attachment to said platform whereby a smooth sliding relation is provided between said table and platform.

6. In a handling device comprising a stationary table and a movable platform disposed in juxtaposition with said table and having a normal position with the top thereof aligned with the top of said table; the combination with said platform of a vertically disposed cylinder, a shaft secured to said platform and extending vertically downward therefrom into said cylinder in slidable relation therewith for supporting said platform, a coil spring vertically mounted within said cylinder in bearing relation to said shaft for urging said platform into normal positon, a movable member slidably engaging said cylinder on the exterior thereof and connected to said shaft, a foot pedal mounted upon said movable member for actuating same to force said shaft and attached platform downward, and means for varying the relative disposition of said shaft and movable member whereby the vertical displacement of said platform is predeterminable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 48,888 Atwater July 25, 1865 264,886 Kennerly Sept. 26, 1882 735,312 Stokes Aug. 4, 1903 817,634 Fagerstrom Apr. 10, 1906 1,419,956 Clairemont June 20, 192,2 2,338,048 Minaker et al Dec. 12, 1943 2,396,885 Roloson Mar. 19, 1946 

